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data management THE PLOT THICKENS WHAT CHANCE SECURE DATA MANAGEMENT MIGHT HAVE ALTERED THE OUTCOMES OF CERTAIN LANDMARK FILMS? CHARLOTTE WILLIAMS, MARKETING & PR MANAGER AT TOTAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY SHREDALL SDS GROUP, OFFERS HER INSIGHTS What would have happened to the Allies, if Alan Turing had failed to crack the Enigma code in 'The Imitation Game'? And would the National Security Agency's nefarious schemes have been exposed, had it protected its sensitive data and prevented Edward Snowden from publishing its secrets through WikiLeaks? Based on real-life stories of data infiltration, these films could have ended very differently, if more effective data protection measures had been put in place. But before you dismiss this as nothing more than a light-hearted exercise in procrastination, just think: what can we learn from the cinematic universe about secure data management practices? We'll cover a range of films - fiction and non-fiction - over the course of this article. As well as dissecting their plots to determine how they might have been changed with proper data management, this feature will also provide practical tips on how you can avert similar data mismanagement mishaps in the future. THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS Admittedly, these two film series are unlikely candidates for the first item on a list of data misman-agement movie plots. As you're probably aware, the story centres on the One Ring, a mysterious artefact created by the Dark Lord Sauron that grants the wearer the power of invisibility. Bilbo steals the ring from Gollum during a fateful turn of events in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'. Following his adventures over the course of the next two films, Bilbo returns to the Shire with the ring still in his possession. At a later point, Gollum is captured by the minions of Sauron, revealing the name and location of the unfortunate hobbit. This sparks the chain of events that makes up the rest of the 16 computing security Mar/Apr 2020 @CSMagAndAwards www.computingsecurity.co.uk
data management trilogy, with Sauron's forces attempting to return the ring to their master, as Frodo embarks on a journey to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom. Had Gollum kept the ring in a secure location or protected the vital information of Bilbo's whereabouts more carefully, the rest of the series could have turned out differently. But what can we learn from Gollum's critical act of data mismanagement? The key takeaway is this: if your business holds sensitive commercial data, then it's vital - in the immortal words of Gandalf the Grey - to "keep it secret, keep it safe". Hard copies of files should be stored in a secure location, whether you keep them on-site or employ a third-party to look after them. Some companies even choose to store their critical legal business files in a high-security vaults with specialised access mechanisms! Digital copies are even more susceptible to interception and should be stored using a secure data management platform. It's best to look for data storage software that requires multifactor verification before allowing users to access files. SNOWDEN Based on the true story of Edward Snowden, this film follows the protagonist as he works for the NSA and finds out disreputable government agency secrets. One shady secret he discovers is that the NSA has planted malware in the computer systems of foreign governments, allowing them to be disabled in the event that these foreign nations were to oppose the US. Eventually, Snowden, pictured below left, becomes disenchanted with his work at the NSA. He smuggles sensitive data out of the agency in a microSD card hidden inside a Rubix cube and releases it to the press. Had the NSA protected this information in a more secure manner, Snowden would not have been able to expose their perverse practices to the world. Although the details of how Snowden actually managed to produce a copy of the NSA data are not known, it's somewhat astonishing that he was able to extract data from the NSA system using nothing more than a microSD card in the film. In reality, data breaches of this kind are completely preventable with the right software. There are many programs out there that can stop users from copying data to any form of external device, unless they are given explicit authorisation. If your business holds sensitive data and isn't already using some data loss protection software, you should really look into this. It's also worthwhile having policies in place regarding remote workers. Businesses should specify that work laptops are only to be used while connected to a secure network - using an unsecured network opens you up to data breaches that could potentially be costly. Monitoring the activity of remote workers is also advisable. JURASSIC PARK Jurassic Park is another film that could potentially be deemed an unusual choice on this list. Data security may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Jurassic Park and indeed the data security element in this film is more subtle than in the other examples. Yet one plotline involves Dennis Nedry - pictured below - a computer programmer employed by the Park, using his hacking skills to disable the security systems and steal dinosaur embryos. He intends to sell these on to the highest bidder - with potentially disastrous consequences - but never makes it out of the park and is eaten by a dinosaur. www.computingsecurity.co.uk @CSMagAndAwards Mar/Apr 2020 computing security 17
Page 1: Computing Security Secure systems,
Page 4 and 5: Secure systems, secure data, secure
Page 6 and 7: editor's focus RICH VEIN OF POSSIBI
Page 8 and 9: expert insights WHY CYBERSECURITY P
Page 10 and 11: 2020 predictions MORE 20/20 VISIONS
Page 12 and 13: 2020 predictions Mike Riemer, Pulse
Page 14 and 15: expert view CEOS IN THE FIRING LINE
Page 18 and 19: data management All of this potenti
Page 20 and 21: cybersecurity and ISPs WORLD-WIDE M
Page 22 and 23: fraud & cybercrime CYBERCRIME FIGUR
Page 24 and 25: Coronavirus scam SPOOF ATTACK UNLEA
Page 26 and 27: GDPR BREACHED - AND TOTALLY UNAWARE
Page 28 and 29: encryption systems THE QUANTUM CRYP
Page 30 and 31: expert insights THE INTELLIGENT APP
Page 32 and 33: product review CLOUD PROTECTION FOR
Page 34 and 35: expert insights ESSENTIAL BUILDING
Page 36: Shearwater Group plc is an award-wi

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